Meet Chase McNaughton of Erie Pooper Scoopers

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chase McNaughton.

Chase, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
About 3 months ago, I had just returned from college. Wanting to start a business, but having no practical skill, my dad suggested that I start scooping poop. This was the perfect business for me, as I could practice my web design, SEO, and marketing skills that I had been building and apply them to my own entity.

At first it was just me testing the idea and seeing if anyone would actually sign up for a service like this. I ranked my own site #1 on Google, and the leads started to come in. It didn’t take me long to realize this was a legit and viable business model that could make me serious money.

I focused heavily on strong communication, showing up on time, making the service easy, and automating systems like billing, scheduling, and notifications before/after pickups. With the systems in place, it was only a matter of time.

About 3 months in now, it’s grown into a recurring route-based service across Erie, Longmont, Lafayette, Fort Lupton, Dacono, Westminister, and Broomfield. My goal has never been to become some huge company, but instead build a local service people trust and stick with long-term. Most of our growth can be attributed to our amazing repeat customers here in Erie, and it’s been rewarding to see all the hard work pay off.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been completely smooth, but probably not in the way most people expect. One of the great things about this business is that the margins are strong and the startup cost is almost nothing, so the challenge was never really about staying afloat financially or juggling expenses. The real difficulty was client acquisition.

I was a brand-new local service. Nobody wanted to be the first person to try something unknown. I lacked reviews, social proof, and any sort of referrals. I had to go really hard on marketing. Luckily, my background in web design, SEO, and PPC advertising put me in a good position to succeed. The only issue was that ranking takes a solid 2- months, and advertising in this industry was costing me fortunes. However, with enough time and effort, my site began to rank and most of my leads now come from organic search.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Erie Pooper Scoopers?
Erie Pooper Scoopers is a recurring pet waste cleanup service designed to make life easier for dog owners in Erie, Longmont, Lafayette, Fort Lupton, Broomfield, and Westminister. Instead of worrying about yard cleanup every week, customers can rely on a consistent schedule, simple billing, and clear communication so it’s one less thing they have to think about.

We’re known for reliability and being a local, personal service rather than a big company. Customers know exactly who is coming to their property, and that trust is a big reason most of our growth comes from neighbor referrals.

Brand-wise, I’m most proud that people describe us as dependable and communicative. The goal has always been simple, remove a constant chore and make owning a dog more enjoyable.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I wouldn’t really describe myself as a big risk taker. What appealed to me about this business was actually the opposite. It had almost no startup cost and essentially no scenario where it could leave me in debt. From my perspective, the downside was extremely small while the upside was clear.

So for me it wasn’t about taking a leap of faith, it was about recognizing an asymmetric opportunity. If it worked, great. If it didn’t, I would have learned something and moved on without any real loss.

Pricing:

• Weekly service starts at $62/month for one dog
• First cleanup is free for new recurring customers

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.eriepooperscoopers.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eriepooperscoopers
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Erie-Pooper-Scoopers/61579009678099/
• Twitter: https://x.com/EriePoopScooper
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@EriePooperScoopers
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/erie-pooper-scoopers-erie